RIVE (Wii U) (Nintendo Switch) Preview

There is nothing quite like highly intense space shooting experience - one that can get the adrenaline pumping and heartbeat racing. Two Tribes may have the very laidback Toki Tori on its books, but anyone expecting a slow-paced, easy ride for RIVE might as well walk away now.

There are sections where players must navigate through space, blasting down meteors, but rather than flying around in the depths of the galaxy all the time, this actually involves controlling the same little pod in a manner of differing ways, mainly scooting along, rapidly blasting away at the onslaught of enemies pouring forth from every nook and cranny of the stages. The action is really non-stop and quick reactions are required throughout as it never lets up.

Jumping and twisting about, shooting like crazy at all times, as well as hacking machines to boost health, provide extra firepower, create a force-field to help lift the craft upwards when not in the space settings... and making sure to keep blasting away at all times (yes, the point needs driving home twice!) - RIVE is total chaos, yet it is the variety of chaos that really revs the engines and brings out instincts most will not even know they possess; "twitch-reaction gaming" at its finest. Figuring out how to proceed is also part of the fun, desperately staving off the oncoming foes, yet also attempting to logically determine the best course of action. Hacking into a drone to escape speedy trains by floating upwards, or dragging away helper-bots replenishing the energy of a large boss creature, are just two examples of the sheer brilliance to be found within. It is almost like a complete workout, with muscles tensing and the body moving around without wilfully doing so - the intensity of the action really does filter through to those in control.

RIVE's EGX15 could not be finished in one go, with death befalling the Cubed3 team, yet after calming down by playing some other titles on show, later on a second attempt was definitely needed, almost like the game was calling out "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough!". Challenge accepted, demo conquered, and a massive sense of satisfaction achieved. RIVE was exhilarating from start to finish, and with more tweaks still being implemented, the final product is going to be one to truly relish.